If you were wondering what exactly human-centered design is, we’ve got answers with some real-world examples for you. Human-centered design comes under the design thinking methodology, where products and apps are built by focusing on the perspective of those who experience the problem. This helps achieve the sweet spot of desirability, accessibility and usability while addressing the core needs of the people. If you look at successful innovations, you must have noticed some element of human-centered design in them. Here are some of the innovations that were designed using the human-centered approach.

1. Explained with examples
of everyday products.
Human-Centered
Design

2. It is an approach of problem
solving mostly used in design and
management sectors by involving
human perspectives in all steps
of the problem-solving process.
What is human-
centered design?
HUMAN-
CENTERED
DESIGN

3. Everyday products that were built
using human-centered design.
• Kids toothbrush
• Music player
• Ketchup bottle
• Modern TV remote
• Ring pull cap
• Lay’s stax package

4. Kids toothbrush

5. • Kid’s hands are small.
• They hold toothbrushes
inside their fist while
adults use their fingers to
hold a toothbrush.
• Dislike brushing their
teeth.
• Made the handle fat and
squishy.
• Introduced small bristles.
• Introduced cartoon
characters to the handle.
• Created cute accessories
for toothbrush.
Problems Solutions

6. Music player - iPod

7. • Inaccessible buttons.
• Too many features leading
to confusion.
• Difficult to carry it.
• Simple and accessible
buttons.
• Comes with a clip.
• Reduced complexity with
sleek design.
Problems Solutions

8. Ketchup bottle

9. • Hard to get full ketchup
out of the bottle.
• Hard to handle the bottle
with one hand.
• Designed inverted
standing bottle.
• Designed bottle for easy
handling with one hand.
Problems Solutions

10. Modern TV remote

11. • Too many options increase
confusion.
• Difficult to hold the
remote each time they try
to do an action.
• Frequently used buttons
were made bigger.
• Introduced IR sensor for
easy operation.
Problems Solutions

12. Ring pull cap

13. • Hard to open: needed a
bottle opener to open
the cap.
• Designed a pull ring for
easy opening.
Problems Solutions

14. Lay’s Stax packaging

15. • Normal package can’t be
reused.
• Product wastage is high.
• Designed a round pillar
package.
• Introduced a drawer for
easy access of
the product.
• Snack size was reduced.
Now the person can finish
it in 2 bites.
Problems Solutions